Charlotte.com

The 49ers are Kentucky bound, and so am I

The Charlotte 49ers have their first football opponent. They'll play Morehead State, the school that gave us former quarterback and current NFL analyst Phil Simms, in 2013.

The 49ers will play the Eagles at Jayne Stadium in Morehead, Kent. If I'm still writing a column, if I'm still living in Charlotte, I'm there. I'll either fly into Morehead-Rowan County Airport, which can accommodate any kind of aircraft up to a four-seater, or I'll make the six-hour, 382-mile drive.

The Eagles play in the Pioneer Football League, which includes Davidson, the Campbell Camels, Butler and Dayton.

Scheduling an opponent is important because the match-up is real, it's tangible, it's a thing you can point to and put your finger on. For years, or is it a decade, Niner Nation has heard it isn't worthy of football. The home and home agreement with the Eagles -- Morehead State will play in Charlotte in 2014 -- proves the 49ers are.